4:38pm: Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that the team has not released Albers (Twitter link). He remains in the mix for a job in Boston's bullpen.
4:31pm: The Red Sox released Matt Albers to allow him to play in Japan, according to Maureen Mullen of CSNNE.com. Boston will receive an undisclosed sum of money for letting the right-hander go.
The Red Sox signed Albers in December after the Orioles non-tendered him. The out-of-options 28-year-old competed for a spot in Boston's bullpen this spring, making seven appearances.
Albers spent three seasons in Baltimore after the Orioles acquired him in the Miguel Tejada trade. He posted a 4.52 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 75 2/3 innings last year and has a 5.11 ERA in 317 1/3 career innings with the O's and Astros.
Huh, I was kind of shocked when I heard this. I pegged him for one of the 2 spots in the SOX bullpen. The fact that he was out of options and was doing well in games I thought made him a lock.
EDIT:
The RED SOX just said the report is FALSE. That Albers is still with the team…
StrangER development. Who’s making up stories about Matt Albers?
Now I can’t make Fat Albert jokes….He’ll be the biggest thing there since Godzilla.
Dont worry we still have Reyes and Jenks, no one will confuse the sox bullpen for the Weight Watchers headquarters.
And just like that Peter Abraham has given the finger to Maureen Mullen.
Clearly she deserved it if this is true.
Maureen Mullen needs to be banned from talking about the Red Sox, this is like her 5th twitter screw up since players reported. God damn.
6th time is the charm!
it really looked like he figured it all out his first year with the O’s. Hasnt been nearly the same since the arm injury
He’s been doing work this spring:
Albers: 10.0 IP, 8 H, 0 BB, 11 K’s
He’s got a very, very good chance to make the pen. I didn’t think it made sense when I initially read he was “released”.
For sure. In fact, if he doesn’t make the opening-day pen..it will probably be because of a trade, not him being released.
NPB is in a bit of disarray right now. I’d be surprised to see any of the Japanese teams pick anyone up for a little while.
This guy is either very effective or completely disastrous.
At times, watching him as an O’s fan, it was like Terry Matthews all over again….shudder.
Haha yeah there’s no way in hell this is true he told me yesterday he’s staying with them. Maureen Mullen needs to check her stories.